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Marine companies along the Gulf of Mexico will be busy in 2013 producing offshore vessels to meet expected growth in the region?s deepwater drilling sector over the next several years. Vessel repairs will be active too. Worker training will be stepped up to address a skilled labor shortage. And nearly three years after BP?s spill off coastal Louisiana, safety will remain a priority. But with the nation teetering on a scal cliff ? which may spur tax increases and government spending cuts ? demand for of cial and military vessels could be affected, industry members say. GULF?S DEEPWATER RIG COUNT SLATED TO EXPAND New York-brokerage International Strategy and Investment, with an of ce in Houston, predicted on December 10 that the deepwater rig count in the U.S. Gulf would grow from a current 36 oating rigs to roughly 50 such rigs by mid-2014 and 60 or more during 2015 to 2017. ISI senior managing director and oil-services research head Jud Bailey said the deepwater GOM is in its early stage of an extended growth cycle after being almost left for dead following BP?s Macondo blowout. Further exploration in the GOM, along with development of discoveries ? including Anadarko Petroleum-operated Lucius, ExxonMobil- operated Hadrian, Chevron-operated Big Foot and Jack/ St. Malo, and BP-operated Tiber and Kaskida ? should fuel that growth, Bailey said in early December. Separately, and buoyed by that optimism, Gulf Coast builders and operators have stepped up their activities, hiring and output. BOLLINGER BUSY WITH BACKLOG In Lockport La., Chris Bollinger, executive vice president of new construction at Bollinger Shipyards, Inc., said Guarded Optimism for 2013 Guarded Optimism for 2013 from U.S. Gulf Boatbuilders from U.S. Gulf Boatbuilders Guarded Optimism for 2013 Guarded Optimism for 2013 from U.S. Gulf Boatbuilders from U.S. Gulf Boatbuilders Caveats and some doubts remain. Caveats and some doubts remain. By Susan Buchanan January 2013 28 MNMN Jan2013 Layout 18-31.indd 28MN Jan2013 Layout 18-31.indd 281/2/2013 4:00:15 PM1/2/2013 4:00:15 PM
